Legend of Zelda: Gauntlet of Dragons
by BKGeno
Summary: Three hundred years after the Skyward Sword and Demise's defeat, Hyrule and its people have returned to the surface. However, something ancient, evil and malicious shifts in the shadows, enraged at their return. With their new flying mounts, the Wyverns, can Hyrule and Link stand against the rage of the Shadows? And can the Hero survive Hyrule?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 -**

Darkness and Shadows, as far as he could see.

He was surrounded, his brothers felled. Their outlines blurred and leapt, more coming in from every direction. All he could see was glowing red eyes, everything else lost in the play of dim light across their forms. He could feel nothing, hear nothing, could barely even breathe, but still he lashed out, blasting their forms to nothingness, and more kept coming.

Sudden pain from his side, and the ground rushed up to meet him. He twisted as he fell, and saw another of the Shadows behind him. Its right arm shaped like a blade, bloody from point to guard, a gleaming shard of light embedded in its chest, just off of where its heart would be. He weakly rolled over, and tried to bring his arms up to defend himself, but the bladed shadow simply sneered, before resuming its manic smile, and raised its arm to finish him, blazing red eyes glowing brighter as the blade arm suddenly swung.

As the sword descended, he managed a gasp. "Lord… flee…"

XXXXXXXXXX

It was a beautiful day outside. The flowers were blooming, the birds were singing, and the trainees were getting the snot beaten out of them by their instructor, once again. The instructor looked at his four students, and shook his head before running his hand through his hair in amused exasperation.

Two were on the ground unconscious, and one was curled in a ball holding his groin, whimpering. The last was at least still on his feet, but his shield had gotten knocked off of his arm, and he was just barely holding onto his sword as he shook his head, trying to clear it. He could glare pretty good though, he would give the kid that. "I like to taunt my students about how they are the worst students ever, and couldn't fend off a colony of baby keese in broad daylight. I do believe, however, you four are the first to actually make me say that seriously."

Instructor Jerad gestured for the standing student to get his shield back, willing to at least give him credit. He had been hit from behind by a wild swing from one of the other students, and had been off balance when he stumbled into range of the instructor. "Considering you four are supposed to be graduating in a month and getting both your gauntlets and mounts, I would expect you to be at least passably competent. At this rate, I am going to have to restart all four of you, and none of you will be getting to the training grounds on time."

The instructor smirked at the blonde student as he recovered his shield, and shook off the blow to his head without disturbing the glare he was giving the instructor. "Come on, Link. At least make me try to win."

The young man glared even harder at the instructor, setting himself before slowly edging forward, shield up over his chest, sword resting against the side of his shield. That stance earned him a grin, as the instructor slipped into a lower and wider stance, shield out in front, sword behind him. Link waited a moment, before lunging forward, and stabbing with the speed of a viper. It bounced off his opponent's shield as Jared effortlessly deflected the blade, and then Link had to jump back to avoid a swipe to his knees.

A jump attack brought Link back into range, but his opponent sidestepped the attack, then used one foot to trip Link as he stumbled, not expecting the instructor to dodge. Link managed to turn the stumble into a forward roll, but as he regained his feet and turned back, he found the instructor grinning, his training blade against Link's neck. "Well, you did force me to dodge, so good work. And on turning that stumble into a forward roll."

Instructor Jerad put his blade up, and then turned back to the other three. "Roose, get up, I didn't kick you that hard. Get those two over to the clinic and then get back here to continue your workout. And don't piss around, or I am going to make sure you are cleaning the latrines until you graduate."

Jared watched Roose leverage one of the students up, and waved Link back when he moved to help. "Link, walk with me."

The two unconscious students weren't in any danger, the first had simply slammed his head against the second's after a bad block had forced him backwards. The second had flailed about as he fell, clipping Link on the head, and knocking Link forward into the instructor's weapon. All in all, it was a comedy of errors that was more common among first year trainees than fourth years. And with the other two instructors out doing other duties, Jared needed someone to help him with his next job.

Jared grabbed a stout wooden post with a large bucket on each end from a nearby shed, and tossed it at Link. "Let's head up to the kitchen, then we go up to the aerie to feed the wyverns."

Link gave him a grin, and nodded eagerly, clearly enthused by his extra duty. Jared just laughed at how eager the trainee was. "Just try not to Impress upon one of them, alright? You are supposed to do that once you graduate from basic training and begin advanced training."

Jared grabbed a post and buckets for himself, and led the way to the kitchen. They swapped out their empty pails for the full ones in the kitchen, containing the entrails, gristle, bones, and all the other inedible parts. Since most of the small town ate from the kitchen, that was a lot of animal parts per day that they didn't use. The trip to the aerie was a bit difficult carrying the two heavy buckets each, but four years of hard training, exercises, and cutting comments meant Link didn't have much of a problem with the two heavy weights.

At least until they got to the path to the aerie. Entirely uphill, steep, narrow, and rough, Link was struggling to keep up with the pace Jared set even with four years of training. Jared had made this hike almost every day for more than a decade, so he got to the top of the half mile path without even breathing hard. The instructor paused at the top of the path, and turned to look back down, admiring the view. "This view alone makes the walk worth it."

Link was looking down on the town with awe, seeing it from this height for the first time. Once the young orphan had gotten his breath back, Jared turned to him. "Alright, before we go in, rules. First, these wyverns are unbound, so they're a bit dim, don't antagonize them. That includes touching them. They can and will maul you if they think you are a threat or prey. Second, do NOT feed one directly. You will get to do that later, after the training dungeon.

Those are the rules. We are going to go in, dump the four pails into a trough in the middle of the clearing on the other side of this tunnel, and then we leave. It is just before midday, so most of the wyverns are going to be sunning themselves on the upper stone flats and perches or out hunting. The only ones on the ground should be the two hatchlings and their mother. Avoid them or their mother will rip you to pieces. Understood?"

Link eagerly nodded, and picked up the post, hoisting the bar to rest across his shoulders, and followed the instructor into the tunnel. Small mage-lights lined the tunnel, providing light, but Jared stopped Link before they exited. He stuck his head out to glance around, and then nodded to Link. "Alright, the trough is straight ahead, about twenty feet. The mother and her two hatchlings are on the other side of the clearing, and most of the wilders are out hunting."

Link gave Jared a frown, before tilting his head. "Wilders?"

"Unbonded wyverns. I know I have used the term before. Don't get distracted until you have dumped your pails. Don't want to watch you getting chased by a hungry hatchling and its unhappy mother. Even if it would be amusing."

Jared went through first, and Link quickly followed. A quick glance to one gave him a good look at the mother, though the two hatchlings weren't in immediate view, likely on the other side. Her head snapped around, giving him a good view as she abruptly whirled about, stood up, spreading her wings and leaning forward, hissing menacingly at the two Hylians that had suddenly intruded into the aerie.

Her pebbled hide was a dark green and brown, with several lighter splotches on her hide where something had scarred her. Her head was shaped like a blunted wedge and as big as Link's torso, and her muzzle parted to reveal the large serrated teeth of a carnivore. She had a wingspan of about twenty five feet or so, if Link had to guess, which would make her measure about nine feet, or the size of a large horse, from head to haunches, and give her another four feet of tail. Two thick, powerful legs supported her, ending with three toes that each sported a chipped and nicked claw.

Link thought she was gorgeous, and it took Jared elbowing him to break him out of his admiration of the powerful drake. "Link! Move it and dump the guts, before the other wyverns get back and we have to navigate a bunch of annoyed, fighting wilders."

Link snapped out of his trance, and then nodded. He moved forward, before upending his two buckets into the trough. It was filled a bit more than halfway, and he glanced at the only wyvern in the aerie currently, and then back to the rather meager amount of meat. As he turned and followed, the instructor seemed to understand what he was thinking. "That is more to tide over the wyverns watching over the aerie until the rest of the flight gets back. It also encourages the wilders to not attack us or think of us as food, but consider us a source of easy food. And for the most part, it works. Still get the occasional attack, but more from someone not listening to a wilder hissing a threat. You only make that mistake once, or see it happen, before you learn."

Link shuddered as he nodded, and followed the instructor out. He could easily imagine how much damage those teeth and claws could do if he ended up under them. Once out of the tunnel, Jared pointed down to the compound that had been his home for the last four years. "Get down there, drop the buckets off at the kitchen, do your laps around the village and the other exercises, and after lunch you are free to relax. I would suggest practicing with the training swords for at least an hour. The Shadows won't be as forgiving as us instructors. "

Jared whistled loudly and piercingly, and a wyvern suddenly launched from the small cave near the village, using a thermal to circle up toward them. "I have a couple things to do, so get going, trainee."

The young Hylian grinned and gave him a deliberately sloppy salute, before heading down the path. Free time was an unexpected luxury, and he intended to enjoy it while he could.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Link looked up from his book, and stretched, stomach protesting. He had finished his assigned duties for the day, and done the recommended sword practice, before deciding that the library was a good idea. He needed to brush up on his understanding of the wyverns. Little had been taught about them during the four years of basic training; the instructors seemed content to wait until the trainee had his own before they went into specifics. And after reading up, he was inclined to agree that waiting to learn was a good idea.

Caring for the wyverns seemed surprisingly simple, mostly because only adults were bonded, or Impressed as the book called it, meaning it was mostly ensuring the wyvern didn't hurt itself, treating what few wounds it did get, and basically being the brain to the wyvern's brawn. But it was the Impressing that was hard. According to the book, only about a quarter of the trainees actually managed to Impress a wyvern. No point in teaching all the trainees about caring, riding, and flying when three out of four didn't pass the most important step. While the trainees that failed to Impress and weren't discharged out were entered into the guard immediately , it was clearly not the preferred outcome for the trainees. Hard to be content with being a town guard when you had spent four years training under the assumption of eventually soaring the skies.

While Link had known there were three main types of wyverns, he didn't realize that which type he had gotten would determine what his basic rank was when he finished advanced training, or what the differences between them had been. The scout wyverns were the smallest of the three types, fast and maneuverable, but lacking the power and heavier scales the other two had. They had to dance around their opponents, striking from unlikely angles and then diving away to survive. Good for scouting, oddly enough, and for getting reinforcements to a point quickly, but not something you wanted to rely on in a stand-up fight.

Soldier wyverns were the middle of the pack, being a balance between speed, maneuverability, power and defense as well as size. They were the most common of the wyverns Impressed, and made up the bulk of the forces. Forming proper lines when fighting on the ground and battle walls, or 'death balls' as one author called them, in the air, they did the majority of the fighting and the dying.

And the knight wyverns were the largest and most powerful, possessing thick scales that were able to take whatever punishment their enemies could dish out and the power to return it with a vengeance. They were not as agile as the others, but they had power to spare, and stories were common of single knights and their wyverns holding off entire armies of the Shadows in glorious last stands. They formed the core of the ground lines, and in flying fights, they took on the rare and massive shadow serpents, leaving their smaller kyn to the more numerous but smaller bat-like fliers.

The wyvern he got, if he did get one, would also determine where he got posted afterwards, but he had kinda figured that already. Most knights were stationed centrally at Hyrule Castle and its town, with the other towns getting a majority of the soldiers, and the smaller villages hosting the smaller scouts. Of course, each settlement still had the other orders stationed there, his own village had a knight and a soldier to support the three scouts, but it was the smallest village in the country, and the furthest out.

Link's thoughts were interrupted by the door to the small library slamming open. He already knew who it had to be just from the noise, even without looking, Roose and the other trainees, likely looking for amusement. Roose was a minor noble by birth, with an older brother stationed at Hyrule Castle in the knight wyvern corps, and was as short as a person could get and still join the wyvern riders. But while his brother was a proven warrior with a history of victory against the Shadows, Roose relied on his rank and cronies to solve problems.

Roose's two cronies, Barry and Nathan, were a bit taller than him, but Link was still the tallest of the group. While Link knew he was more than a match for one or even two of them, all three would be a small problem. Mostly in how to avoid getting hurt while also avoiding being labeled the instigator. He debated just ignoring them, but a glance showed that their attitude was that of people looking to cause trouble for others.

Sure enough, Roose spotted him sitting at one of the tables, sneered, and started toward him. Link stood up as they approached, and deliberately shut the book, put his chair back under the table, and then headed to the shelves to return the book, completely ignoring them. Naturally, the diminutive Roose took offense to that, but he took offense to everything Link did. Including existing in the same world as him. "Peasant! Hwhat do you think you hart doing, ignoring your betters?"

Link didn't even bother turning around at his ridiculous accent. He still had no idea how Roose managed to mangle his words that badly. He simply headed deeper into the library, examining books, before circling around, heading down another aisle. "Peasant. I ham talking to you."

Link continued to ignore him, and continued down the aisle, now heading for the exit. He made it halfway down when Roose lost his temper at being ignored, and punched Link in the back. It wasn't a good punch, no force and didn't actually hurt, but it was unexpected and put Link off balance for a second. It still made him stumble a step, but he recovered and slowly turned around with a small, mocking smile on face.

Link looked down at the smaller student, standing a full head taller than Roose, and in the narrow library corridors, Link knew he wasn't going to lose. He didn't bother answering him, just giving him that bored, slightly mocking smile and waited. Roose didn't catch the not-very-subtle hint, and was stepped forward. "Hwe require substanance. Be a good servant and fetch your betters ha meal."

Link was about to reply when he was cut off by the voice of someone else in the library. "Then perhaps the betters should go and get it themselves."

Roose couldn't see whoever was talking, and tried, but failed, to shove his way past the larger Link to confront them. "Hwho in Din's name do you think you hare, commoner, speaking to ha noble such myself like that?"

The unseen person in the small cubby pushed his chair back, and slowly walked forward, stepping around the library shelves. It was an older man, wearing a somewhat battered, slightly bent, but entirely functional breastplate over a dark purple tunic edged in gold thread, and plain brown, loose fitting pants. His left arm bore the distinctive gauntlet that all Wyvern Riders wore and only instructor Jerad ever seemed to bother to take off, and a handful of gems were in the sockets worked into the fitted armor. The hilt of a huge sword stuck over the top of his right shoulder.

His hair was mostly gone, only a couple wispy strands poking from the top of his otherwise bald head, but his massive greying mustache more than made up for it. Watery, pale-blue eyes glared at the four trainees, as the village's Knight-Class wyvern rider and their head instructor, sub-commander Girhan, took in the scene. "Trainees Barry and Nathan, my office in a half hour. Do not enter until I call you. Trainee Link, with me, please. Roose, my office, now. Wait outside until I arrive, and then we will discuss your actions, and your future."

None of the trainees missed the fact that Roose hadn't been addressed with his title like the others, which boded poorly for the undersized, overly egotistical student. Link kept his amusement and glee from showing, and simply nodded to the sub-commander. Once the others had left, however, Link couldn't help but be concerned as the old soldier turned to him. "Trainee Link, were you instigating? Again?"

Link would be the first to admit he couldn't lie to save his life, but he had learned to say only what needed to be said to keep himself out of trouble, thanks to Roose. "No sir. I did not instigate this incident."

He conveniently failed to mention that he had been silently egging Roose on, intent on making Roose instigate something. So he was able to look the sub-commander in the eyes and answer honestly, Girhan eventually nodded. "Well, that simplifies this, then. Carry on, Trainee."

Link nodded to the sub-commander, and waited for him to move, before heading out of the library towards the kitchens. He glanced back, as he failed to hear the library door close, but Girhan had been right behind him. The old soldier was already heading for the offices, and didn't look in Link's direction.

Link didn't call out, and continued onward, intent on getting something to eat before retiring to his room. It was nearly dinner time, and there were a couple books he wanted to read there. One about the three non-hylian races that lived in the mountains, deserts and nearby oceans, and another about the people that lived on a large island northeast of the continent.

* * *

It was two weeks later, and Link was in the practice yard exercising by himself. He had seen neither hide nor hair of the other three trainees during that time, instead getting the full attention of instructor Jerad and the other riders when they had the time. Link would rather have skipped that, if given the choice. Still, he had also been given the privilege of feeding the Wilders every day with Jared, and had taken to trying to run up the entire half mile or so slope from the kitchens to the aerie. He could just barely get halfway up the steep path, but he was definitely improving both his legs and lungs from trying.

Currently, he was experimenting with different sword techniques against one of the training dummies, the straw and wood figure absorbing blows without concern or damage to show for the trainee's efforts. He wasn't sure why the instructors had been pushing him so hard, but with the other three trainees hiding, maybe they were making sure at least one of their students was up to standards. Or maybe they had washed them all back to the beginning, and weren't letting them out of the armory until they had proven they were worthy of actually training again.

It made little difference to Link, he had been alone since Shadows raided his parents during a run to town from their farm to deliver produce. A week after they should have been back, the farm hands had gone looking for them, and then taken Link to the town when they had found the ruins of the wagon. No bodies had been found, or so he had been told, but he had seen enough shadow beast attacks since to know very little remained after a shadow beast finished with someone. It had been a small mercy, giving him that white lie.

He had gotten enrolled into the wyvern training school, though, so something good had come of it, much as he missed his parents and aunt. His aunt had stayed at the farm, running it, and gladly welcomed him back when he visited, cheerfully stuffing him full of food, asking about his training, complaining about the farm hands, and asking him if he had a girlfriend yet. He loved his aunt, but knew that she had realized he wouldn't be happy staying on that farm, as he had always been wandering off to the edges of the farm to 'adventure.'

He came out of his thoughts, and realized he had been going through the various basic and accepted sword techniques almost without thought, simply letting his mind wander while his body attacked. He looked around, getting his breath back and letting his aching arms rest, and spotted Jerad nearby. "Sorry sir, did you say something?"

Jerad laughed. "Yes, your name, four times. Must have been some deep thoughts. Now come on."

Link put the practice sword and shield on their racks, both of them weighing more than four times the real thing, good for building up muscles and endurance. Also good for building up callouses and teaching the trainees to never, ever, EVER drop their weapons, no matter how tired you were or how much like lead your arms felt. Dropping one of those was worth a lap around the compound, another instructor yelling all the way if they had a spare.

He then stepped up besides Jerad, who was actually wearing his gauntlet for a change, and raised an eyebrow. That gauntlet was worn when a rider was either expecting trouble, or about to head out on patrol. "So, what am I in trouble for this time sir?"

They headed off toward the main building, Jerad giving the trainee an amused stare. "And what should you be in trouble for this time, trainee?"

"Breathing, thinking, not thinking, late for a meeting I wasn't told about, or possibly making assumptions."

Jerad laughed at Link's answer, but he was the only instructor with a sense of humor. Or rather, the only instructor that bothered to show his sense of humor around the trainees.

"So not being a goddess-fracking idiot today?"

He remembered what Jerad was referencing quite clearly, even after three years. Jerad and one of the other scout riders, long since killed in a shadow beast attack, had converged on him to start screaming after he dropped a weighted training weapon, but Jerad had realized the hilt was completely covered in blood as he approached. He had reached Link before the other instructor, and grabbed his right hand, carefully forcing it open to reveal the palm was utterly covered in broken blisters. The sight of the hand had horrified the two instructors, and Jerad had glared at Link. "Trainee, are you an idiot? Why didn't you say something?"

Link had snapped to attention, and thinking he was in serious trouble, responded immediately. "No sir, I am a goddess fracking idiot, sir!"

That had been the first time he had ever gotten all of the nearby instructors to actually break out in laughter, but Jerad had quickly gotten over his amusement, or at least control over it, long enough to direct Link to the clinic.

Jerad grinned as Link groaned at the memory, before nodding and clapping the trainee on the back. "Glad you aren't today. And no, you aren't in trouble. Sub-commander Girhan wanted a word with you in his office."

Link tried to understand how he was expected in the sub-commanders office without actually being in trouble, but Jerad had already headed off to the instructor's dorms. Left with little other choice, he headed for his superior's office. It was a fairly short walk, actually the first office upon entering the building the instructors used as offices, but it still felt far longer than it had any right to be for any trainee having to walk the short hallway.

He approached the door, noting it was slightly ajar, but before he could knock, Girhan called out. "Enter."

Link opened the door, and stepped up to the desk, though the sub-commander was facing the window. "Trainee Link, as ordered, sir."

Girhan didn't turn around, but simply sighed. He wasn't wearing his breastplate today, just his purple tunic and loose fitting pants, though he still had his gauntlet on. "At ease. Any idea why you are here?"

"No sir."

A 'hrmp' was his only immediate response, but after a moment, the sub-commander continued. "Frankly, Link, if I had my way, you wouldn't be here right now. I would have washed you out two years ago after that big fight against the other trainees. Or a year and a half ago, when you put Roose and Nathan in the clinic for a week due to attempting unauthorized sword techniques. Or a month after that, where you got caught trying to sneak into the armory. Or one of the many other times you seemed to think the rules only applied to other people."

Link felt his fingers curl into fists, but didn't reply, though he fought to keep his face passive as he waited for the submissive commander get to the point. "However, Roose was just as big a problem, but for different reasons. Mostly related to you. However, you learned from your mistakes, and unlike Roose, you have both a natural skill in combat and raw potential in nearly everything else we cared to test you in. And no matter the situation we have put you in, including a completely against the rules fight against two instructors against just you, I have yet to see real fear in your eyes or your stance. Caution, yes. Uncertainty, definitely. Fear? Never."

He glanced back at Link, and nodded to himself before moving to his seat. "The reason you are here is because you are the last trainee we have. Barry and Nathan have been shipped to Kakariko Town, and Roose has been discharged. Now, this is a problem, because we are a training compound, and we have one trainee. Do you see where I am going with this, Trainee?"

Link thought for a moment, before shaking his head. Girhan sighed and rubbed his face, looking even older than he had this morning at breakfast. "It means you, with your discipline and authority problems, your tendency to try and solve problems with your fists, the habit of giving smart-assed replies when you think you can or just don't think, and your wanderlust, are all that is left. We are the smallest training compound, and if we can get a trainee out on time, we get funding. If not, we don't, and I get called to Hyrule Castle to explain to the Commander why my compound just discharged a trainee and shipped two problem trainees out before we get said funding."

Link blinked, and nodded. Girhan gave him a glare, but didn't speak, simply drumming his fingers across the desk and staring at the trainee. Link held his expression still, difficult for him, but he knew the sub-commander would appreciate it. After a moment, the sub-commander continued. "Over the past week, we have been performing an evaluation on you. And you passed. With the best marks I have seen in years no less, and I have seen a lot of trainees. So tomorrow, you get to do the final training exercise, two weeks early. "

"IF, and that is a big if, you get a pass, then you get to try to Impress a Wilder. If not, you can retest a week later, after we know where your problem areas are and can train you up to counter them. And then you keep repeating that until you pass or you have failed four times."

Another pause before the veteran shook his head. "Since you will be two weeks early, and because of the circumstances and needs of this compound, you will get any extra time you earn to try and Impress. Most trainees only get a month at most. Some barely get a week."

Link nodded excitedly, no longer bothering to maintain his passive expression causing Girhan to snort. "Now that you know we are bending the rules a bit for you, don't utterly embarrass us trainee. And if asked, no, we did not bend the rules."

The sub-commander paused, before suddenly becoming even more serious. "Your orders, trainee Link, are to rest for the remainder of the day, and at dawn tomorrow be in the training yard ready for the test. Dismissed."

Link saluted, his left fist thudding against his chest, right above his heart, before he turned and stepped out. He shut the door, and headed outside. He was unaware that Girhan had moved to balcony that led to the wyvern aerie on top of the building from his office, though he was merely watching him leave. The sub-commander had some misgivings about this trainee, least of all his nearly instinctive rebellious attitude, but he was the best, and in fact only, hope the compound had. Girhan shook his head, as he watched Link do quick celebratory jump before the trainee headed for the barracks.

Girhan looked up, and past the compound to the attached village, and then past the village to the surrounding wilds. After a moment, he raised his gauntlet covered left arm, and cupped his fingers and thumb, forming a half circle. The enchantments on the gauntlet activated, giving him a telescopic effect, allowing him to survey the edge of the forest. And could see several shadow beasts stalking along the edge of the forest as the sun started its journey toward the horizon.

They were the size of a small pony and looked like dogs of some kind, maybe even wolves, but their movements were sporadic, and they avoided the humans that were coming in toward the town from the forests. None of them stayed at the forest edge long, but none of them showed signs of sizing the village up for an attack, unnaturally still and staring for hours on end. And none of the larger beasts seemed to be nearby, massive cat-like shades, hideous bat-like flying abominations, or worse, the humanoid monstrosities.

He lowered his arm with a frown, before heading back into his room. Might as well get in armor and make a quick sweep of the forest edge. Put the fear of the goddesses back into the shadow beasts, at least for the moment. And remind the village why they supported the wyvern riders.


End file.
